How to Knit the Box Stitch

The knitted box stitch has virtually the same personality as seed stitch, but on a larger scale. Box stitch is a great choice for blankets and scarves, but it can also give a great allover texture to a piece like a jacket.

To knit box stitch when knitting flat, you need a number of stitches that’s equal to a multiple of 4 plus 2:

Rows 1 and 4: *K2, p2, repeat from * to last 2 sts, k2.

Rows 2 and 3: *P2, k2, repeat from * to last 2 sts, p2.

Repeat these 4 rows for the pattern.

To knit box stitch in the round, you need a multiple of 4 stitches:

Rounds 1 and 2: *K2, p2, repeat from * to end of round.

Rounds 3 and 4: *P2, k2, repeat from * to end of round.

Repeat these 4 rounds for the pattern.

To make a box stitch swatch, cast on 18 stitches. Follow the directions for working box stitch flat. Bind off when your swatch measures 4 inches.